Pressroom
2013
Old Worlds Meet New World in LJS&C Concert
La Jolla, Calif. (April 10, 2013) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its fifth concert of the 58th season, Angle of Repose, that continues a season-long exploration of themes inspired by Wallace Stegner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. On the weekend of May 4-5, we present a program themed “Old Worlds/New World” – featuring three works that present vivid images of Asia, Europe and America. Music Director Steven Schick leads the orchestra in Chou Wen-chung’s Landscapes, Richard Strauss’s virtuosic Horn Concerto No. 2 with soloist Nicolee Kuester, and Edgard Varèse’s Amériques – a work, written in 1927, that influenced Frank Zappa and a generation of rock artists. Read More
2013-2014 Concert Season Celebrates Life
La Jolla, Calif. (April 2, 2013) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) 2013-2014 season -- Life* -- features a series of concerts and music events that each takes a page from life, culminating in a celebration of Choral Director David Chase’s 40th anniversary year with the ensemble. Highlights of the season include an orchestra reading of five new works by jazz composers, our first Young People’s Concert , choral performances on four of the six subscription concerts, and exciting guest artists including Venezuelan choral superstar conductor Maria Guinand in a shared program with David Chase of music from Latin America , and International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), featuring flutist and MacArthur fellow Claire Chase. Read More
March Concert Presents Spectrum of Music – from Raw Funkiness to Copland’s Flowing Essay of Renewal, Appalachian Spring
La Jolla, Calif. (February 26, 2013) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its fourth concert of the 58th season, Angle of Repose, inspired by Wallace Stegner’s 1971 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. The March 16-17 concert is titled “Repeat/Move On,” and provides a broad spectrum of music from the 20th century – from minimalism to rock-infused experimentalism. Read More
“Inside/Outside” Explores the Space in Which Music Exist
Music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Luciano Berio, Carl Nielsen
La Jolla, Calif. (January 17, 2012) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its third concert of the 58th season, Angle of Repose – a season-long exploration of themes from Wallace Stegner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. The February 9-10 concert, titled “Inside/Outside,” offers Music Director Steven Schick conducting orchestra and guest artists in three works that occupy very different senses of space: from the “cathedral” sound of Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Ralph Vaughan Williams, to the intimacy of Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs featuring brilliant soprano and rising star Jessica Aszodi, to the expansive grandeur of Symphony No. 3 by Carl Nielsen with soprano Bonnie Lander and baritone Austin Thompson. Read More
2012
December Dazzles with Handel, Brahms, Schoenberg & Dallapiccola for Chorus and Orchestra
La Jolla, Calif. (November 16, 2012) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its second concert of the 58th season themed after Wallace Stegner’s great novel of the American West, Angle of Repose. The December program, titled “Dark/Bright,” offers bright works of texture and musical color by Handel and Brahms set off against the darker hues and stirring passions of Arnold Schoenberg and Luigi Dallapiccola. Music director Steven Schick conducts the concert featuring orchestra and chorus. Read More
La Jolla Symphony & Chorus Announces January 5 Open Auditions
La Jolla, Calif. — La Jolla Symphony Chorus holds auditions for openings in all sections on Saturday, January 5, 2013. The 125-voice chorus rehearses on Monday evenings at the University of California, San Diego, Conrad Prebys Music Center. Concerts are given throughout the season on the UCSD campus as well as San Diego venues. Chorus membership is open to community members with music training as well as to students at UCSD. Read More
LJS&C 2012-2013 “Angle of Repose” Season Begins with Hero/Anti-Hero
La Jolla, Calif. (October 16, 2012) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) 2012-2013 season opens November 3-4 with Steven Schick conducting the orchestra in Missy Mazzoli’s Violent, Violent Sea, two works by John Cage, 101 and 4’33”, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) in a concert titled Hero/Anti-Hero. The November concert is the first in a season inspired by Wallace Stegner’s great American novel, “Angle of Repose.” Read More
Stravinsky’s “Firebird” Brings Season to a Magical Close
La Jolla, Calif. (May 15, 2012) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its final concert of the 57th season -- Stravinsky Circus! -- with Music Director Steven Schick leading the orchestra in a program celebrating Stravinsky’s most popular work, The Firebird. The concert opens with the world premiere of Igor Korneitchouk’s Tintinnabulation and also includes Samuel Barber’s Piano Concerto, with guest soloist Aleck Karis. Read More
“Spring Symphonies” Celebrate the Season and Prep Chorus for Carnegie Hall Debut
La Jolla, Calif. (April 11, 2012) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its fifth concert of the 57th season on May 5-6, with choral director David Chase leading the orchestra, two choruses and soloists in a program inspired by the many faces of spring: Grieg’s Last Spring, Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 in B-flat Major -- “Spring,” and Britten’s Spring Symphony. Guest artists for the Britten are Kerrie Caldwell (soprano), Sasha Hashemipour (mezzo-soprano), Christopher Bingham (tenor), and the San Diego North Coast Singers (youth chorus). Read More
LJS&C Announces 2012-13 Season: Angle of Repose
La Jolla, Calif. (March 21, 2012) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) announces its 2012-2013 season, “Angle of Repose,” inspired by themes in Wallace Stegner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. The quintessential novel of the West asks us to look at where we come from and understand our relationship to the past. Read More
Beethoven and Stravinsky Symphonies Are Keystones in “The Classicist”
La Jolla, Calif. (February 28, 2012) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) performs Beethoven, Mozart and two works by Stravinsky on March 17-18 in its fourth concert of the Stravinsky Circus! season. Music Director Steven Schick leads the orchestra in this concise and evocative program with the idea of classicism as its recurring theme. The program begins with the Overture to The Marriage of Figaro, composed by the greatest classicist of them all – Mozart. Next is Stravinsky’s most classical work, his Symphony in C, modeled after Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C Major. Beethoven’s first symphony concludes our program. In between we hear the influence of 20th-century popular culture in Stravinsky’s jazz-infused Ebony Concerto, written for clarinet soloist and Woody Herman’s jazz orchestra. Curt Miller is soloist. Read More
2011
Works by Stravinsky, Bartók, David Lang, and György Ligeti Reflect “Ancient Noises” at LJS C Concert
La Jolla, Calif. (November 11, 2011) — The second concert of the La Jolla Symphony Chorus (LJS C) “Stravinsky Circus!’ season highlights a choreographed version of Igor Stravinsky’s Les Noces on December 3-4, 2011 in Mandeville Auditorium, UCSD. The program begins with the local premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang’s Grind to a Halt, followed by Béla Bartók’s magical Cantata Profana. The second half leads off with György Ligeti’s daring work for 100 metronomes, Poème Symphonique followed by Les Noces. Music Director Steven Schick and Choral Director David Chase share the podium in this concert. Guest artists include pianist Aleck Karis, red fish blue fish, Allyson Green and Lux Boreal dancers, soprano Jessica Aszodi (2011 LJS C Young Artists’ Competition vocal winner), mezzo-soprano Martha Jane Weaver, tenor Chad Frisque, and bass-baritone Phil Larson. Read More
Chorus to Perform Free Concert to Commemorate 10th Anniversary of 9-11 Attacks
La Jolla, Calif. (July 29, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, (LJS&C) will perform a free concert under the baton of Choral Director David Chase at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church on Sunday, September 11, 2011, at 3:00 p.m. The performance is part of the “Rolling Requiem” project, a nationwide musical movement to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks with performances of Mozart’s Requiem. Participating choruses from New York to Hawaii will perform the Requiem with each chorus beginning at 3:00 p.m. their local time, uniting singers throughout the continent as performances roll across the time zones. Read More
La Jolla Symphony Chorus to Perform at Carnegie Hall
La Jolla, Calif. (July 19, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, (LJS&C) conducted by choral director David Chase, will take to the celebrated stage of Carnegie Hall to perform Benjamin Britten’s “Spring Symphony” on May 27, 2012. Also joining the La Jolla Symphony Chorus in New York City will be the San Diego North Coast Singers children’s choir. Read More
The Season Closes Under the Influence of Haydn
La Jolla, Calif. (May 12, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) concludes the 2010-2011 season the weekend of June 4-5 in a program that explores the music of Haydn and the meaning of classicism. Choral director David Chase conducts chorus, orchestra and four soloists in Haydn’s last major work, Harmoniemesse, and assistant orchestra conductor Nicholas Deyoe leads the orchestra in Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn and Shostakovich’s First Symphony. Soloists in the Harmoniemesse are soprano Cindy Choi (2010 Young Artists Winner), mezzo-soprano Katherine Lundeen, tenor Richard Geiler, and bass David Marshman. Read More
LJS&C Observes the Season with Bach’s Monumental “Saint Matthew Passion” in Two Powerful Performances
La Jolla, Calif. (April 1, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) observes the Easter season with the best of choral music, J.S. Bach’s largest and most dramatic work, The Passion According to St. Matthew, on April 30 and May 1. Almost operatic in its spectacle and impact, this music requires two orchestras, adult and children choruses, and vocal and instrumental soloists. LJS&C Choral Director David Chase conducts. Read More
LJS&C Announces 2011-2012 Season
La Jolla, Calif. (March 24, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) announces its 2011-2012 season themed: “Stravinsky Circus.” Offering a varied retrospective of this 20th century master through six works threaded throughout the season, concerts will also highlight the music of Beethoven, Brahms, Verdi, Mozart, Schumann, and contemporary composers, including David Lang and John Adams. Read More
Concerti Concert Features Premiere of “Concerto for Florist”
La Jolla, Calif. (February 22, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony " Chorus (LJS"C) stretches the conception of the concerto on March 12-13, 2011 in Mandeville Auditorium on the UCSD campus. Conductor Steven Schick begins the program with Serge Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 2 for Violin, with the brilliant 16-year-old Hannah Cho as soloist, and concludes the program with the greatest orchestral concerto of them all – Béla Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra. In between, a complete surprise: the world premiere of Mark Applebaum’s Concerto for Florist and Orchestra, featuring ornamental horticulturalist James DelPrince as soloist. Read More
LJS&C Announces Winners of Annual Young Artists Competition
La Jolla, Calif. (February 4, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony " Chorus (LJS"C) announces the winners of its 51st annual Young Artists Competition, which was held on January 29, 2011, on the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) campus. Thirty (30) contestants ages 14 to 28 from San Diego County and Baja California competed for eight (8) cash prizes in vocal and instrumental categories. Read More
A Concert of Contrasts: Debussy Frames Premieres of Works by Phil Kline and Iannis Xenakis
La Jolla, Calif. (January 13, 2011) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its third concert of the 56th season, Face the Music, with Music Director Steven Schick conducting works by Claude Debussy, a world premiere by Phil Kline with contemporary ensemble Real Quiet, and the U.S. premiere of the original (alpha) version of Iannis Xenakis’ Metastasis. Read More
2010
Honorary Artistic Board Includes Music World Luminaries
La Jolla, Calif. (October 6, 2010) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) announces the formation of its first Honorary Artistic Board. The distinguished panel of musicians and composers are a who’s who in contemporary music and include Academy-award nominated composer Philip Glass and Pulitzer-prize winning composers David Lang and Bernard Rands. All have links to the LJS&C through works the ensemble has performed (and sometimes premiered) and support its mission of programming diverse, often adventurous, music in addition to the standard classical repertoire. Read More
Rare Performance of Beethoven Masterpiece, "Missa Solemnis"
La Jolla, Calif. (November 10, 2010) — The La Jolla Symphony " Chorus (LJS"C) under the baton of Steven Schick, performs Ludwig van Beethoven’s rarely-heard masterpiece Missa Solemnis on December 4th and 5th in Mandeville Auditorium, UCSD. The second concert in a season themed Face the Music: Experiences for the Ears and the Eyes, the weekend performances present audiences with one of the great spectacles of the early 19th century and the first San Diego performance of this masterpiece in more than 20 years. Joining the orchestra and chorus will be guest soloists soprano Natalie Mann, mezzo-soprano Ava Baker Liss, tenor Tom Oberjat, and bass-baritone Tom Corbeil. Read More
The LJS"C’s 56th Season, “Face the Music,” Opens with Mahler, Bernstein, Scriabin - and a Light Show
La Jolla, Calif. (October 6, 2010) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) opens its 2010-2011 season -- Face the Music: Experiences for the Ears and the Eyes -- with an ear- and eye-opening concert conducted by Music Director Steven Schick on October 30-31. The colorful, multi-media program begins with Leonard Bernstein’s Overture to Candide followed by Alexander Scriabin’s Prometheus with pianist Noriko Kawai and “color organ” and video projections by video artist Ross Karre. The concert concludes with Gustav Mahler’s mighty Symphony No. 1 in D Major. Read More
San Diego Premiere of Benjamin Britten's "War Requiem"
La Jolla, Calif. (May 13, 2010) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) concludes the 55th season with music director Steven Schick leading the orchestra, chorus, and special guests soprano Kathleen Halm, tenor Chad Frisque, bass-baritone Abdiel Gonzalez, and the St. Paul Cathedral Choristers’ youth chorus in the local premiere of Benjamin Britten’s monumental War Requiem. Read More
Honoring Poland’s Musical Legacy in the 20th Century and a U.S. Premiere
La Jolla, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2010) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its fourth concert of the 55th season with Choral Director David Chase conducting orchestra, chorus, and soloists in music from two of Poland’s most notable composers: Karol Szymanowski and Krzysztof Penderecki. Read More
“AMERICAN ACCENTS” OFFERS DVORAK, CHARLES IVES, AND LOU HARRISON’S PIPA CONCERTO WITH SOLOIST WU MAN
La Jolla, Calif. (January 13, 2010) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) on February 6-7 presents a concert of perspectives on and about America: Charles Ives’ Three Places in New England, Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Pipa & String Orchestra with internationally renowned soloist Wu Man on pipa (Chinese lute), and Antonin Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 in E minor (New World). LJS&C Music Director Steven Schick conducts. Read More
2009
Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass” Makes San Diego Debut with La Jolla Symphony & Chorus
La Jolla, Calif. (November 16, 2009) — Grab your tie-dyes and your love beads and come back to the Age of Aquarius as La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents Leonard Bernstein’s stunning Mass, a San Diego premiere, on December 4, 5 and 6. Described as a theater-piece for singers, players, and dancers, the LJS&C production incorporates classical music, three choruses, two dance sequences, and jazz and rock ensembles. Ken Anderson, director of the UCSD Gospel Choir, performs the lead of the “Celebrant.” Other guest artists joining the orchestra and chorus include the North Coast Singers’ 30-voice children’s choir - Caprice, dancers Alison Dietterle Smith and Tonnie Sammartano, and members of the UCSD Jazz Ensemble. Read More
Hillcrest and Carlsbad Concerts Feature La Jolla Symphony Chorus, Organist Jared Jacobson and A Cappella Ensemble, “Soliphony”
La Jolla, Calif. (November 11, 2009) — On November 21 and 22, the La Jolla Symphony Chorus (LJSC) presents the latest in its Sacred Voices Series, The Mass Project. The two performances feature the 130-voice chorus, a new a cappella ensemble called “Soliphony,” and special guest Jared Jacobson on organ. The Saturday concert is at 7:00 pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Hillcrest. Sunday’s concert begins at 4:00 pm at Carlsbad Community Church in Carlsbad. Read More
55th Season Opens with San Diego Premiere, Bartok and Beethoven
La Jolla, Calif. (October 8, 2009) —On the weekend of October 31-November 1, La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) opens its 55th season with a celebration of songs and dances, offering wonderful examples of each. Bartok’s lively Romanian Folk Dances and Beethoven’s quintessential invitation to the dance, his Seventh Symphony, frame a program that includes three beautiful songs by Argentinean-Israeli-American composer Osvaldo Golijov and Bartok’s white-hot Miraculous Mandarin Suite. Read More
LJS&C Offers an Adventurous New Season – (e)Merging Voices
La Jolla, Calif. (August 27, 2009) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C)announces its 2009-2010 season – (e)Merging Voices. The 55th season highlights the ensemble’s 120-voice chorus on three of the six concert weekends in major choral works as varied as Leonard Bernstein’s Mass, with its brash mix of classical music and pop culture, and Benjamin Britten’s monumental War Requiem. The season also brings different “voices” in the musical world to local audiences, including Chinese pipa player Wu Man and Grammy-award winning soprano Susan Narucki in their debut performances with the LJS&C. Read More
Emmy Win for Philip Glass Concert Documentary
La Jolla, Calif. (June 16, 2009) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) and UCSD-TV’s co-production of “La Jolla Symphony & Chorus: Philip Glass’ Cello Concerto” received an Emmy Award in the Entertainment--Program or Special category at the June 13 ceremony in San Diego. UCSD-TV’s Arts and Humanities Producer John Menier accepted the award. Read More
The “DNA of Music” Season Concludes in “Hope” with Mahler’s Mighty Symphony No. 2
La Jolla, Calif. (May 11, 2009) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its final concert of the season on the weekend of June 6-7, 2009, concluding a season-long exploration of the DNA of Music with “Hope.” Music Director Steven Schick conducts the orchestra, chorus, and guest artists soprano Laurinda Nikkel and mezzo-soprano Martha Jane Weaver in Gustav Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 2, “The Resurrection.” Read More
Cellist Maya Beiser and U.S. Premiere Highlight May 2-3 Concerts
La Jolla, Calif. (April 9, 2009) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its fifth in the DNA of Music series with a concert titled Passion. Music Director Steven Schick conducts orchestra, chorus, and special guests in a program that features acclaimed cellist Maya Beiserperforming Elgar’s Cello Concerto, the U.S. premiere of The General drawn from music by Beethoven with text by noted music critic Paul Griffiths,and Beethoven’s moving Elegy for chorus and string orchestra. Read More
“Music & Art in the Afternoon” at Encinitas Library
La Jolla, Calif. (March 31, 2009) — The first in a series of music and art events in support of music education is being presented by the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C). “Music & Art in the Afternoon” will be held on Sunday, April 26, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Encinitas Library. Read More
Rare Concert Staging of Stravinsky’s “Oedipus Rex” Plus Holst and Debussy
La Jolla, Calif. (February 23, 2009) — The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its fourth concert of the 54th season continuing a season-long exploration of the “DNA of Music.” In this concert we explore the theme of “Perspective” as Choral Director David Chase conducts an extraordinary program that engages a cast of soloists and divides the chorus in two. Read More
"The Motet Project" Offers Retrospective of Sacred Choral Music
La Jolla, Calif. (January 7, 2009) - La Jolla Symphony Chorus presents and performs The Motet Project - a series of six motets that surveys sacred choral music from the Renaissance to 20th century - at San Rafael Parish Catholic Church, Rancho Bernardo, on Sunday, February 22 at 4:00 pm. Read More
Rare Concert Staging of Stravinsky’s “Oedipus Rex” Plus Holst and Debussy
La Jolla, Calif. (January 7, 2009) - The La Jolla Symphony & Chorus (LJS&C) presents its fourth concert of the 54th season continuing a season-long exploration of the “DNA of Music.” In this concert we explore the theme of “Perspective” as Choral Director David Chase conducts an extraordinary program that engages a cast of soloists and divides the chorus in two. Read More
A Celebration of the Lincoln-Darwin Bicentennial
La Jolla, Calif. (January 6, 2009) - La Jolla Symphony Chorus continues a season-long exploration of the DNA of Music in a concert titled "Home," with special guests Cecil Lytle and Renee Calvo. Read More
